Lifestyle

CALVIN

Left to right: Bella Perot, Blair Babers, Knox Reed, Carter Holmes, Kayden Mattox. Teacher Kim Dupree, Kiwanians Mary Lou Blackley and Troy Rogers, Principal Justin Tinsley.

The Kiwanis club welcomed Winn Parish Library Director Priscilla Massey as guest speaker for the March 24th Kiwanis club meeting. Ms. Massey began by talking about the Kiwanis sponsored book sale of Dr. Jerry Williams’ collection of books that were donated to the Library. The books are being sold because the library does not need them and there is not room for them. These books cover a wide variety of topics and genres. The sale will continue through April 2nd. After that decisions will be made as to what happens with the books that were not sold. They could be sent to companies who take books in bulk and sell them on consignment. Some of them may be donated to places like nursing homes, etc.

Ms. Massey always wanted to be in the Library field and worked at the library. However, her degree from La. Tech was in business and she went to work for a bank but soon decided she needed to be back at the library.

On March 25th, members of the Rotary Club gathered at Mama’s Iron Skillet for a powerful presentation on a unique chapter of American history: the Louisiana Orphan Train. The guest speaker for the event was Martha Aubert, Board President of the Louisiana Orphan Train Museum and granddaughter of Emily Kingsley Bergeron Von Bodungen, a local Orphan Train rider.

Dr. Bill Gaddis served as the guest speaker for the Rotary Club, sharing of his recent travel to Israel. The presentation was a visual tour for the Rotary members, featuring numerous photographs taken throughout the excursion. Winn Parish Library Director Priscilla Massey helped coordinate the media presentation to bring the sights of Israel to life for the club.

Gaddis was accompanied by a group of fellow travelers and navigated by a local guide where the group embarked on a mission, focusing on sites deeply rooted in both Old and New Testament history. Key stops on the journey included: The Grotto of the Shepherds, a site traditionally associated with the biblical announcement of the birth of Christ. Warren’s Shaft and Jerusalem Archaeological Park, where the group explored the complex underground water systems and ruins of ancient Jerusalem. The Star of David & Yad Vashem, the group paid their respects at a Holocaust museum, reflecting on the history of the region.

During the club’s business session, members discussed their annual Spring Tractor Ride. Howard explains, “This year we will be riding approximately 50 miles. Plans are to begin at Joel Bryant’s shop, travel to Donnie Lasyone’s camp, have a catfish lunch and head back to the beginning. Mind you, this not a straight route. We will be traveling the backroads. The reason for this is so our tractor drivers can see God’s creation. A person can see a lot by traveling in a car. But on a tractor, one can see things that you can’t see in a car, getting closer to nature and letting the wind blow against you. And then just riding and waiting to find a member stalled on the side of the road. That gives us something to talk about or rag the member. That’s what makes it good clean fun. As president of the club, I’ve been there and believe me they will their fun.”

The North LA Vintage Tractor Club meets the first Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Mama’s Iron Skillet in Winnfield.

Antioch Community Church and Antioch Cemetery Association invite you to join them for their annual memorial service on Saturday, May 24. The church and cemetery are located in the Brewton’s Mill community in Ward 10 in Winn Parish, off LA Hwy 126 between Dodson and Readhimer. The church service begins at 11am and will be followed by a covered dish lunch. The purpose of this special day is to remember and honor those loved ones and friends who have gone on before.

Bringing the morning message this year will be Rev Lamar Carpenter, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Grant Parish. Bro Lamar, a native of Calvin and graduate of Calvin High School, has strong ties to Brewton’s Mill as well as to the Antioch Community Church and Cemetery. Bro Lamar and Pastor Hayward Hossler, along with the church family, are looking forward to the opportunity to fellowship with friends and family on this special day.

John Bennett, Marketing Representative 2, Northeast Louisiana Veterans Home, Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs spoke to the Kiwanis club, Tuesday, April 22nd. He was raised in Spearsville, La.

He is US Army, Chaplain Corps, Vietnam Combat Veteran and also US Coast Guard Yeoman Career Field and Paralegal and a graduate of Northeast La. University. The Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs is Colonel Carlton McGinley.

Winn Parish has 1000 veterans which is a high percentage for a parish of our size. In Louisiana there are 261, 000 veterans. Southern states have more veterans because they seem to serve more. There is the federal VA and each state has a VA. The state Vas help veterans to get benefits from the federal VA. Veterans have earned their benefits and should apply for them.

Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk, is still an active base. Barksdale was established in 1918 and is still going strong.

King Jesus will soon return to earth! He will be coming back to get all who have believed in Him, to take them back to Heaven (where there are many magnificent white horses, like in our story, “The King’s Horse”) to live with Him forever.

He wants to be your BFF—Best Friend Forever—and take you with Him to Paradise, where there is freedom and joy and plenty of every good and beautiful thing—and where there are no bad things, no scary things; no darkness at all.

Spirits lives forever, and Jesus created you as a good spirit who lives in a body (until your body dies), so you are already going to live forever. The choice is yours whether you live with Him in Paradise, or forever separated from Him in hell.

Every good thing in your life is from GOD, Who loves you so much that He sent Jesus (His only Son, The King!) to die for you.